Jefferson School of Population Health
Master of Science in Applied Health Economics
and Outcomes Research (MS-AHEOR)
Overview   |    Curriculum   |    Competencies & Content Areas

Applied Health Economics and Outcomes Research (AHEOR) is an academic discipline that focuses on whether or not a product or service is efficacious and benefits patients. It establishes efficacy of the product or service, then compares its effectiveness to other interventions, and finally considers its incremental cost efficiency.  AHEOR is increasingly important and necessary as rising health care costs continue to challenge the stability of the nation’s economy.  Costs continue to rise despite evidence that additional spending is not associated with attractive incremental value in outcomes, costs or quality.

The Master of Science in Applied Health Economics and Outcomes Research (MS-AHEOR) builds on the Jefferson School of Population Health’s twenty years of experience and expertise in AHEOR.  It meets the growing need for professionals to evaluate and measure health outcomes (both physical and humanistic) and to ascertain economic consequences of health care interventions by determining optimal clinical effectiveness, comparative effectiveness, and economic value.

Program Goal

Graduates of the Jefferson MS-AHEOR will design, conduct, analyze, and critically interpret findings from economic evaluations of healthcare interventions. Graduates will be in a position to become national leaders in applied health economics and influence decision making regarding the allocation of health care resources using established scientific methods.

Program Objectives

Graduates of the MS-AHEOR will demonstrate the ability to:

• Analyze the structure and function of the US healthcare institutions, with strong emphasis on financing and delivery characteristics
• Apply analytic methods – including burden of illness analyses, evidence evaluations, research designs, statistical considerations, cost and financial impact analyses, cost-effectiveness analyses, decision analyses, and other clinical and economic evaluation techniques – to inform resource allocation, relative value assessments and policy initiatives
• Interpret and apply organizing and conceptual frameworks used in applied health economic analysis, such as utility, quality of life, game theory, behavioral economics, and diffusion of innovation
• Interpret and apply organizing and conceptual frameworks used in AHEOR output, such as economic metrics (e.g. cost-consequences, cost-effectiveness, cost-utility), quality of life evaluations (e.g. utilities and patient reported outcomes), and healthcare technology assessment evaluations (e.g. budget impact analysis, guidelines, formularies, positive and negative lists)
• Communicate policy options and ramifications to various stakeholders by framing AHEOR concepts and techniques in terms relevant to decision makers and their ability to disseminate value information in their work environment
• Assume leadership roles in the decision process regarding the allocation of healthcare resources

Maintained by Jefferson Information Technologies
Copyright© Thomas Jefferson University. All Rights Reserved.

The Thomas Jefferson University web site, its contents and programs, is provided for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice nor is it intended to create any physician-patient relationship. Please remember that this information should not substitute for a visit or a consultation with a health care provider. The views or opinions expressed in the resources provided do not necessarily reflect those of Thomas Jefferson University, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, or the Jefferson Health System or staff.
Please read our Privacy Statement